


A Tempest Fallen

by n2a0d0i0a



Series: Kageyama Rare Pair Week 2017 [5]
Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alternate Universe - Pacific Rim Fusion, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-15
Updated: 2017-01-15
Packaged: 2018-09-17 17:20:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,910
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9334964
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/n2a0d0i0a/pseuds/n2a0d0i0a
Summary: They both understand each other on some level, and that makes the drift possible, but not easy.





	

Suga's office is a cramped, but familiar space.  He’s spent many days here, especially recently, talking to his superior officer about many of his problems.  Suga himself sits in front of him, his usual angelic smile on his face. 

 

“So, Kageyama, how are you doing?”

 

“I’m fine.  How are you, Suga-san?”

 

 “Good, thank you for asking.  Have you been to visit Hinata lately?”

 

He nods, a small, unwilling smile coming to his lips, “He’s still driving the medical staff crazy.  Apparently, he convinced Noya-san and Tanaka-san to help him escape the other day. That dumbass.”

 

Suga lets out a sweet laugh, “It’s good to know he’s as energetic as ever.”

 

“Yeah.”

 

They fall into a comfortable silence, Suga-san sipping at his tea while he plays with his nails on the other side of the desk.

 

“Kageyama…I’ve been meaning to ask you something lately…

 

He nods, “Go ahead.”

 

“We’ve been wondering how you would feel about attempting to drift with someone else?”

 

His eyes snap upwards and he stares at Suga-san with confused eyes, “What?”

 

The older officer sighs, looking at him with sympathetic eyes,  “Hinata’s injuries are too severe for him to return to a Jaeger.  The medical staff has cleared him to leave the medical bay as an advisor next week, but he will never be able to drift again.  I’m sorry.”

 

Kageyama looks to the ground.  In hindsight, he knew from the moment the techs pulled his co-pilot’s limp body from the Jaeger that this would happen.  They were lucky that the dumbass had even survived the hit at all.  The Kaiju, Eagle Wing, had been a huge Category III; when it had thrown itself at their right side, Hinata had let out an otherworldly scream as he writhed in pain.  Kageyama had barely had time to push the thing off of them and Tsukushima, Yamaguchi, Tanaka-san, and Noya-san had all been deployed to finish it off.

 

Kageyama just…wasn’t prepared for the permanence.  He had always thought Hinata could do anything, jump back from anything.  He seemed like he had an infinite amount of energy; it didn’t seem possible that he would ever have to stop fighting.

 

“Kageyama, I really am sorry to bring this up so soon, but we can’t afford to be down a Jaeger and Aerial Crow has finally been repaired. You drifted with two other rangers when you were with the Aobajousai Shatterdome, correct?”

 

He nods, not trusting his voice at the moment.

 

“Well, they’ve agreed to send your former co-pilot, Ranger Kunimi Akira here so that you two can try drifting together.”

 

“What about Kindaichi?”

 

Suga’s smile turns melancholy, “Ranger Kindaichi Yuutarou died last week due to injuries sustained from battle.”

 

A pang of sadness hits Kageyama.  The last time he had seen Kindachi….

 

“Do you think you can handle this?”

 

He pauses, almost considering saying no, but then he thinks of Hinata and Kindaichi.  Both such honest and strong-willed people, and decides that he is not going to dishonor them by giving up the fight so easily.

 

“Yes sir.”

* * *

 

Kageyama spends the next few days helping Hinata adjust to his new role, which turns out to be a much bigger task than he expected even with Tsukishima and Yamaguchi’s help.  As such, he hears about Kunimi arriving at the Shatterdome but doesn’t get a chance to see him until their scheduled meeting in the combat room.

 

His eyes immediately lock onto Kunimi; the other ranger hasn’t changed much.  He’s taller now, but his eyes are still the same droopy ones that he remembers, his hair is still parted in the middle, and he looks as uncaring as ever.  He’s leaning against the wall, hands shoved in his pockets.

 

“Kageyama.”

 

“Kunimi.”

 

They stand there in silence, Kunimi continues staring at the wall across from him while Kageyama takes to stretching.  A weight hangs over them but he doesn’t know what to say.  It was easier with Kindaichi.  Kunimi has always seemed like he was up in the clouds, out of his reach.

 

He opens his mouth, deciding that he’s had enough with the quiet when the door to the room opens.  Marshall Sawamura and Suga enter the room and that’s their last opportunity to talk about anything remotely personal.  They each grab their staffs when directed, getting into the proper stance.

 

Kageyama takes the first step, always the aggressor, tentatively aiming for his opponent, who easily blocks his initial strike.  Kunimi returns with another reasonably slow strike, which Kageyama also deflects.  And then they begin in earnest.  Kunimi has definitely gained more skill as a fighter, but there are some things that can’t be changed when it comes to battle style.  The same applies to Kageyama.  Every time Kageyama strikes, Kunimi knows where to block.  When Kunimi tries to sneak a blow in, Kageyama sees it coming.  It’s like a phantom reflex; they remember each other’s moves and that prevents them from pulling ahead of one another. 

 

They end up at 4-4, and Marshall Sawamura orders them to report to the Jaeger bay on Thursday.

 

* * *

 

He sees Kunimi in the hall a few days before they are set to drift together.  The other pilot’s back is turned to him, and he finds himself following without a thought.

 

“Kunimi!”

 

He’s half-surprised when the other actually stops for him.  He catches up to the pilot and starts to fidget as he properly faces him for the first time since he’s come to the Shatterdome.

 

“Kunimi, I’m…”

 

“Don’t.”

 

He flinches at the other’s steady tone.  He knew Kunimi had always talked like this, but, for some reason, it bothers him this time.  He wants to say something, except he’s not sure if he has the right to.  He’s stepping into territory that he’s not welcome in, and it’s possible that they may be able to avoid chasing the R.A.B.I.T even without talking about their issues.

 

“Ok.”

 

He watches Kunimi walk away with an uneasy feeling in his gut.

* * *

 

Thursday comes in what seems like no time, and Kageyama and Kunimi are suited up and sent into Aerial Crow before they’ve even really spoken at all.  He hasn’t had a chance to warn the other pilot about his memories or the fact that it is very possible that he could chase the R.A.B.I.T.

 

He locks his feet into position as Kiyoko-san’s voice comes through the Jaeger’s communication system.

 

“Kunimi-kun, Kageyama-kun, get ready.  Initiating Neural Handshake.”

 

Kageyama starts to feel a familiar tug at his mind, preparing himself to fall into the drift.  When he does, he sees memories of days when they were younger, the three of them running through city streets together and quiet evenings spent on a makeshift volleyball court.  He sees them huddling together on the floor when they were too scared to sleep and summers spent sharing ice cream.  He sees the three of them joining the academy, their first spar, their first battle with a Kaiju.  He sees himself as he pushes them into a fight with the other two yelling at him to calm down.  He sees the times when only Kindaichi and Kunimi are left, the two of them sharing a bed, walking through cities together, fighting together. 

 

He sees Kunimi, up to his neck in water, screaming something with horror in his eyes.

 

He calls out in his mind, “Kunimi!”

 

He isn’t listening, and Kageyama panics.  He was never good at this.  Kunimi was supposed to be the calm one and if they kept this up, they were going to start chasing the R.A.B.I.T.

 

“Kunimi! Stop!”

 

He can’t reach the other pilot.  He isn’t sure of what he’s supposed to do at this point.  Reminding him of the truth could just make the situation worse, but it could also snap him into reality.  Either way he’s desperate at this point so he just decides to say it.

 

“Kindaichi’s gone Kunimi!”

 

 _That_ gets a reaction and the other pilot’s eyes snap towards him.  He seems to calm down a little and Kageyama snaps his own eyes open as he’s thrown out of the drift.  He sees Aerial Crow’s arm gradually fall to its side, and knows that they have already chased the R.A.B.I.T.

 

There are techs all around them in seconds and Kunimi leaves before Kageyama can talk to him.  Suga watches with a sad look in his eyes, and when he tries to apologize to Kiyoko-san, she hugs him.  Marshall Sawamura even feels bad enough that he only lectures him for twenty minutes.

* * *

 

Kunimi is in the cafeteria that night, sitting alone in a corner and sipping at what appears to be coffee.  There are two others in the room that Kageyama vaguely recognizes as technicians, but he chooses to ignore them because they need to talk.

 

He approaches Kunimi slowly, “You okay?”

 

“Fine.”

 

He sits down across from the other pilot and rests his arms on the table.

 

“I’m sorry about Kindaichi.”

 

Kunimi nods, still showing no signs of emotion, “Me too.”

 

They fall quiet after that, as they always seem to have done.  Kunimi is swirling his coffee around and Kageyama is playing with his nails. He looks up when he hears a soft scoff.

 

“I always thought the King would be the one to get his partner killed one day.”

 

Kageyama pauses, wonders how honest he wants to be, but figures that Kunimi will eventually see all of it even if he hasn’t seen it today.

 

“You’re not completely wrong.  My co-pilot’s right arm and leg were ripped off the last time we drifted.

 

Kunimi still doesn’t meet his eyes so he continues on, “I know I don’t understand your pain. But I do understand your will to keep fighting, even it it’s damaged.”

 

It’s the most articulate thing he’s ever said, and probably the longest conversation they’ve had in three years.  Kunimi doesn’t respond though, so he waits a few minutes and gets up from the table. 

 

“You’ll never replace Kindaichi.”

 

Kageyama doesn’t stop, but he does think _I didn’t want to_.

* * *

 

After that they get along better, sharing lunch in the cafeteria a few times a week.  It’s mostly spent in silence but at least they’re getting more comfortable around each other.  Kageyama even introduces Kunimi to Hinata one day and he smirks to himself as the other pilot becomes the newest victim of Hinata’s incessant chatter. 

 

They haven’t healed completely and the road ahead is probably still rocky for them.  Kunimi still freezes Kageyama out when he’s angry, and Kageyama will scream at him in return.  Both still have nightmares about the past, but they’re starting to understand each other more because of them.

 

“LOCCENT, we’re ready.”

 

“Roger.  Initiating Neural Handshake.”

 

This time when he falls into the drift he sees the same memories as before, sees Kindaichi submerged in water, and Kunimi’s pod launch out of their Jaeger, but it’s all a stream.  He can feel Kunimi’s apprehension, but he can feel something else too, something calmer and he thinks they’ve reached some type of understanding. 

 

When he sees images of Hinata being crushed by the metal of their Jaeger, he panics, but then feels a quiet presence at the back of his mind, steadying him.  In a moment he opens his eyes, and turns to the left to lock eyes with his co-pilot.

 

“Aerial Crow, how’s it looking in there?”

 

“We’re good LOCCENT.”


End file.
